What is it with Canada?

canadamapleleafI noticed yesterday that 40% of the plugins and addons on the Hawk Wings Top Ten list — MailTags, Mail Act-on, Mail Stamps, Spell Catcher X — are created by developers living in Canada.

Even if you count MailTags and Mail Act-on as one, that’s still 30% or almost a third.

Obviously Canada is a terrific country (maple syrup, Mounties, lacrosse, etc), but this seems extraordinary to me.

I wonder why. Is it simply the energy created as a result of being overshadowed by a powerful neighbour? Is the market penetration of Macs in Canada greater? Or is it just coincidence?

A puzzle.

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8 Responses to “What is it with Canada?”

  1. David says:

    I think, indeed, their super-strength comes from maple syrup.
    Maple syrup is to people of Canada what spinaches are to Popeye.
    Noone can fight that.

  2. My theory, for what it’s worth:

    Canadian’s have always had to deal with less (except taxes), and are well aware of it in comparison to our southern brethren. As a result, we ‘make-do’ and are hardy. This shows up in creating utilities and software which we need, want and use.

    Now why virtually all of the major gaming software titles for PC, XBOX, Playstation etc. are all developed in Vancouver, I’ll never know.

    Matthew

  3. Tim says:

    Hmmm… Interesting! Suffering produces endurance, endurance character, etc, etc.

    With regards to gaming software, perhaps the nights in Vancouver are very long or it rains all the time so that people can’t play outside?

  4. Vancouverites head outside in any weather; we are waterproof.

    My new ‘gaming software in Vancouver’ theory is that we are talented (or attract talent), and love to play games/sports; is that we are a cheaper labour version of California and we know have to have more fun than Toronto.

    (And once you get here, no one leaves…)

  5. KIR says:

    If Vancouverites are so tough, how come you all start crying like little girls because of how cold you are when you come to England? Even in Summer.

    I’ve a canadian mate who reckons nowhere in the world is colder than England at 12 degrees above freezing. Not even somewhere 30 below. If you don’t believe me, just go there…

  6. We are tough when it comes to rain (because it’s better than snow.)

    No one said anything about cold. Most of us moved to Vancouver to AVOID the cold.

    I don’t understood why England feels 30 degrees colder than it is. I’ve been there many times, and never understood why.

    Matthew

  7. AJ says:

    DMI – Daylite Mail Integration – is also created in Canada. I think it’s the cold weather – we have nothing better to do that code :)

    (I’m just kidding – some folks ask me about the igloos when I visit the States – hard to believe but true).

  8. Trevor says:

    First of all… Canada is just that cool. (No pun intended.)

    Second of all… being a Torontonian, I highly object to the idea that Vancouverites have more fun than Torontonians. Then again, perhaps the idea of programming all day is more fun to a Vancouverite… ok I’m done.

    Oh yeah, and in regards to feeling the cold in England versus Vancouver (or Canada in general), I lived in Kenya for a year (located just below the equator) and during Kenya’s “winter” months, I was FREEZING! I was SO cold. I wanted to go back to Canadian winters. I don’t understand it. The temperature wasn’t anywhere close to the same degree. I think it’s a matter of climate. Same goes for England and Vancouver.

    That’s my commentary for the day. CANADA ROCKS!

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